Egypt screens over 10.8 million students for anaemia, obesity and stunting

CAIRO – 30 May 2026: Egypt’s health ministry said it has screened over 10.8 million school students as part of a nationwide campaign to detect anaemia, obesity and stunting among primary school pupils.

The program was launched in October 2025 for this academic year as part of a presidential initiative targeting early detection of malnutrition-related conditions among schoolchildren, the ministry said.

The initiative covers Egyptian and non-Egyptian students enrolled in primary education across 29,000 public and private schools nationwide, aiming to safeguard children’s health and address nutrition-related disorders.

The screening includes medical examinations, measurement of weight and height, and haemoglobin testing.

Students diagnosed with conditions are referred to health insurance clinics for further evaluation and free treatment, and are issued follow-up cards for periodic monitoring.

Program coordinator Tamer Samir said 2,000 trained medical teams are participating in implementation, with preventive health protocols in place to ensure student safety and operational efficiency throughout the school year.

Health education teams are also providing awareness sessions for students on healthy practices, while hotline services 105 and 106 have been made available for public inquiries.